Dry material mixing machine



Jan. 13, 1959 G. TOCCI DRY MATERIAL MIXING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Sept. 6, 1957 FiaZ Lauus GnTQCCLI BY ATTO 2H EYS LIG.-- TOCCI DRY MATERIAL MIXING MACHINE Jan. 13, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 FIG. 5

nvvmvron. Laws G.Tocc\ A-rTozuew s DRY MATEklAL MlXlNG MAtEHlNE Louis G. Tocci,l.Le.ominster-, Mass. Application September 6,1957; Serial No; 682,387

r 8. Claims. (Cl. 259-57) This invention relatestoimprovements in method and apparatus for mixing togetherpowdered or :granular materials, such as basic-'or-neutralplastic molding materials and plastic coloring materials, 'by' tumbling the materials together.

The primary 'object of the invention is to provide a method of and tumbler apparatus for mixing together different powdered -or granularmaterials, which enable eliminating the present necessity of transferring the basic or-neutralmaterialtrom bags in whichxthematerial is supplied, intodrums on a tumbler machine, tumbling "the drums on the machineto' produce mixing, and then "transferring the mixed material back into the bags, .so thatsubstantial savings in time, labor, and wastage of 1 material are-obtainable.

Another object of the invention is to provide, for use on a conventional tumbler machine, improved bag holders composed of stationary sections andhinged sections "which 'can be opened relative to the stationary sections "for easier and quicker loading and removing bags.

A furtherobject, of the invention is to provide closure containers arranged to be inserted in the open tops of bags so as to form closures forthe bags, and which ,enlargethe capacities thereof so as to enable free tumbling of the materials in the-bags by a tumbler machine,

the closure containers being readily removable, upon completion of a tumbling operation; to enable the bags scription and the accompanying drawings,.wherein, for the purposes, of illustration only, a specific\ form of the invention is set forth in detail.

. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation aof1aetumbler1machine equipped with bag holder assemblies of theipresentuinvention containing material filled bagsin which conwtainers of the present invention are clamped.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1. t Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, hinged sections of holders being shown in closed positions in full lines and in open positions in phantom lines.

Figure 5 is a fragmentarytverticaltransverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

I Figure .6: is an enlargedfragmentary vertical, transverse :section taken on theglineee-di of Figure-,4,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a holder assembly with the hinged sections of its holders in open position.

the invention will be apparent from the following. de-

at showing ea 14 of the tumbler machine the holders 22 and having Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like nu- -merals designate like parts through the several views, the

numeral llll generally designates aconventional tumbler comprising a housing 12 mounting on its top two coaxial rotary shafts 14 driven by a motor 16 within the housing12. Mounted onand fixed to the shafts at opposite ends of the housing 12 at right angles to each other are bag holder assemblies 18 of the present. invention.

Each of the bag assemblies 18 comprises a flat elongated oval bottom plate 20 from which rise two cylindrical holders 22 concentric to the rounded ends 21 of the bottom plate 20 and composed of inner semi-cylindrical stationary sections 24, and outer semi-cylindrical hinge-d sections26. The stationary sections 24 comprise diametrically opposed vertical end bars 23. and 30 which are suitably fixed at their lower ends tothe bottom plate 20 along the longitudinal center line of the bottom plate, lower semiecircular bands 32 fixed at their ends to the end bars 28 and 3d at points spaced upwardly from the bottom plate 2d, and relatively wide semicircular upper or clamping bands fixed. on the upper ends of the end bars .28 and Fill, with circumferentially spaced vertical barsr3-d extending between and secured to the lower-and upper bands 32 and 34. The adjacent ends of the upper clamping bands 34 are connected together by a connector plate 38.

The hinged sections 26 comprise lower semi-circular bands at) and upper semi-circular clamping bands 42 which are spaced and connected by lcircumferentially spaced vertical bars 4d, the vertical spacing of the lower and upper bands dtland 42 being the same as that of the lower and upper bands 32 and 3d of the stationary sections 24. On the outer ends, of the upper clamping bands 42, are radiallyoutwardly projecting clamp lugs 43 which are approximately half the length of the connector plate 33, which the lugs 33 engage in the closed positions of the hinged sections. The inward ends of the lower and upper bands 4 d and d2 of the hinged sections 26 are hinged, as indicated at 4'6 and 43 to the outward ends of the lower and upper bands 32 and 34 of the stationary sections 24. A U-shaped clamp, generally designated 5d, and shown in detail in Figure 6, has an inward leg 52 which is horizontally pivoted at the lower end, as indicated at 54, to the inward side of the connector plate 38, and threaded at right angles through the outer leg 56 of the clampis a clamping screw 58 having a head at} on its inward end, and a handle 62 on its outer end. As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the clamping screw head 60 bears'against the clamping lugs 43 when the hinged sections 26 are closed, for maintaining their closed positions, and is retractable therefrom to enable the clamp to be swung inwardly out of theway, as shown in phantom lines in Figure 7, to free the hinged sections 26 to be opened.

Fixed to the outer sides of the upper bands 42 of the hinged sections 26 near the inward ends thereof and reaching thereabove are inverted L-shaped brackets 64 having arms 66 on their upper ends which'extend radially inwardly to retainably engage the closure containers 68 which are inserted into the open upper ends 70 of material containing bags 2 of paper or other flexible material.

Means for mounting a holder assembly 1.8 on a shaft 10 ,comprises a horizontal bar 74 extending betweenwand along the inward sides of bent end portions 76 secured to the upper bands 42 of the stationary sections 24. A

and an open lower end 104.

reinforcing channel bar 78 extends along the intermediate part of the bar '74 and has its web secured to the bar 74 and has the edges of its flanges 80 secured in a suitable manner to the upper bands 42 of the stationary sections 26. A vertical channel brace bar 82 has its upper end secured to the midpoint of the channel bar 78 and its lower end secured to the bottom plate 20. A diagonal brace 84 has its outer end elevated and secured to the connector plate 38 and its depressed inward end 86 secured, as indicated at 88, to the vertical brace bar 82 at a point spaced below the channel bar '73, as shown in Figure l. A socket 90, positioned at an upward angle relative to the vertical brace bar 82 is engaged on the tumbler machine shaft 14 and is secured thereon by a set screw 92. The socket 99 is secured to the inward side of the vertical brace bar 82 by a plate 94 positioned below the channel bar 78 and secured to the vertical brace bar 82 by the means 88 and by similar means 96,

and a brace @8 extends between the socket 953 and a lower part of the plate M. By means of this arrangement, the holder assemblies 18 are inwardly tilted relative to the axis of the tumbler machine shafts 14, as shown in Figures l and 2.

The closure containers 68 are cylindrical and of diameters' to fit snugly into the open upper ends 70 of bags '72, and comprise sidewalls ltltl, a closed top wall 102, The major part of the closure container is, as shown in Figure 5, inserted in the bag, so as to close the bag and enlarge the capacity of the bag and so as to provide a material tumbling space 106 above the open upper edge '70 of the bag. The closure container extends down below the upper clamping bands 34- and 42 of the holders 22, and on the inner sides of these upper bands are compressible pads 198 of foam rubber or the like whose inside diameters are slightly less than the outer diameter of the part of the bags in which the closure containers extend, so that when the hinged sections 26 are closed around bags having closure containers in place therein, the pads 108 are compressed and bear compressively and frictionally against the outsides of the bags and thereby hold the bags against shifting in the holders 22 and retain the closure containers 63 in the bags, when the tumbler' machine ltl is operated with the bracket arms 66 engaged over the top walls of the containers.

Fixed on the outsides of the endwalls ltlt) of the closure containers 68 near their closed upper ends are diametrically opposed loop handies EM, which facilitate handling and manipulating the closure containers 68.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the method of the present invention comprises opening a paper or like material bag of basic or neutral material, pouring therein a desired quantity of additive material, such as coloring material, inserting part way into the open top of the bag an open-bottom closure container, so as to provide tumbling space for the material above the top of the bag, then securing the bag and closure container assembly in a holder of a tumbling machine, and operating the ma chine to effect the desired mixing of the materials in the bag.

While I have shown and described herein specific forms of method and apparatus of the invention, it is to be understood that any change or changesin the steps and operation of the method, and in the forms of and relative arrangements of components of the apparatus can be made and are comprehended as within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tumbler machine, a housing having powerdriven horizontal coaxial rotary shafts extending from opposite ends thereof, holder assemblies mounted on and fixed to the shafts, said holder assemblies each comprisholders comprising stationary semi-cylindrical sections and semi-cylindrical hinged sections hinged on each of the stationary sections, a connecting plate extendingbetween and secured to the stationary sections, clamping lugs on the outer ends of the hinged sections arranged to bear against the connector plate in the closed positions of the hinged sections, and a clamp mounted on said connector plate for clamping said clamping lugs against the connector plate. i

2. In a tumbler machine, a housing having powerdriven horizontal coaxial rotary shafts extending from opposite ends thereof, holder assemblies mounted on and fixed to the shafts, said holder assemblies each comprising a bottom plate, cylindrical bag holders fixed to and rising from opposite ends of the bottom plate, and means for mounting the assemblies on the shafts, each of said holders comprising stationary semi-cylindrical sections and semi-cylindrical hinged sections hinged on each of the stationary sections, said mounting means comprising a horizontal bar extending between and fixed to the stationary sections, a vertical bar extending bedriven horizontal coaxial rotary shafts extending from opposite ends thereof, holder assemblies mounted on and fixed to the shafts, said holder assemblies each comprising a bottom plate, cylindrical bag holders fixed to and rising from opposite ends of the bottom plate, and means for mounting the assemblies on the shafts, each of said holders comprising stationary semicylindrical sections and semi-cylindrical hinged sections hinged on each of the stationary sections, said stationary sections comprising longitudinally spaced inner and outer vertical end bars fixed to and rising from said bottom plate, lower semi-cylindrical bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars on a level spaced above the bottom plate, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars, said upper clamping bars being spaced above said lower bands, said hinged sections comprising lower semi-cylindrical bands, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands, vertical spacing bars secured at opposite ends to the lower and upper bands and vertically spacing the same like the lower and upper bands of the stationary sections, the bands of the stationary sections and the hinged sections having inner and outer ends, hinge means hinging the inner ends of the hinge section bands onthe outer ends of the stationary section bands, and means for retaining the hinged sections in closed relation to the stationary sections.

4. In a tumbler machine, a housing having powerdrivenhorizontal coaxial rotary shafts extending from opposite ends thereof, holder assemblies mounted on and fixed to the shafts, said holder assemblies each comprising a bottom plate, cylindrical bag holders fixed to and rising from opposite ends of the bottom plate, and means for mounting the assemblies on the shafts, each of said holders comprising stationary semi-cylindrical sections and semi-cylindrical hinged sections hinged on each of the stationary sections, said stationary sections comprising longitudinally spacedinner and outer vertical end bars fixed to and rising from said bottom plate, lower semi-cylindrical bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars on a level spaced above the bottom plate, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars, said upper clamping bands being spaced above said lower bands, said hinged sections comprising lower semi-cylindrical bands, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands, vertical spacing bars secured at opposite ends to the lower and upper bands and vertically spacing the same like the lower and upper bands of the stationary sections, the bands of the stationary sections and the hinged sections having inner and outer ends, hinge means hinging the inner ends of the hinged section bands on the outer ends of the stationary section bands, and means for retaining the hinge sections in closed relation to the stationary sections, said retaining means comprising lateral clamping lugs on the outer ends of the upper clamping bands of the hinged sections, a connector plate extending between and secured to the inner ends of the upper clamping bands of the stationary sections, said lugs being arranged to bear against said connector plate in the closed positions, and clamping means mounted on said connector plate for clamping said lugs against the connector plate.

5. In a tumbler machine, a housing having powerdriven horizontal coaxial rotary shafts extending from opposite ends thereof, holder assemblies mounted on and fixed to the shafts, said holder assemblies each comprising a bottom plate, cylindrical bag holders fixed to and rising from opposite ends of the bottom plate, means for mounting the assemblies on the shafts, each of said holders comprising stationary semi-cylindrical sections and semi-cylindrical hinged sections hinged on each of the stationary sections, said stationary sections comprising longitudinally spaced inner and outer vertical end bars fixed to and rising from said bottom plate, lower semicylindrical bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars on a level spaced above the bottom plate, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands secured at their ends to the inner and outer end bars, said upper clamping bars being spaced above said lower bands, said hinged sections comprising lower semi-cylindrical bands, upper semi-cylindrical clamping bands, vertical spacing bars secured at opposite ends to the lower and upper bands and vertically spacing the same like the lower and upper bands of the stationary sections, the bands of the stationary sections and the hinged sections having inner and outer ends, hinge means hinging the inner ends of the hinged section bands on the outer ends of the stationary section bands, and means for retaining the hinged sections in closed relation to the stationary sections, and

compressible pads lining the upper clamping bands of the stationary and hinged sections.

6. In combination, atumbler machine having a rotary horizontal shaft, a bag holder assembly mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, said holder assembly comprising a cylindrical bag holder having a stationary semi-cylindrical section and a hinged semi-cylindrical section hinged on said stationary section, means for releasably clamping said hinged section in closed relation to said stationary section, a bottom plate secured on said stationary section and extending under said hinged section, and compressible pads lining said stationary and hinged sections.

7. In combination, a tumbler machine having a rotary horizontal shaft, a bag holder assembly mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, said holder assembly comprising a cylindrical bag holder having a stationary semi-cylindrical section and a hinged semi-cylindrical section hinged on said stationary section, means for releasably clamping said hinged section in closed relation to said stationary section, a bottom plate secured on said stationary section and extending under said hinged section, compressible pads lining said stationary and hinged sections, a flexible comminuted material containing bag in said holder and resting upon said bottom plate, said bag having an open upper end located above the holder, a relatively rigid cylindrical closure container having a sidewall, a closed upper end and an open lower end, said closure container being partially inserted in the upper end of the bag with the closed upper end spaced above the upper end of the bag and with. its open lower end below said compressible pads, the space in the closure container between the upper end of the bag and the closed upper end of the container defining a material tumbling space, said clamping means serving to engage the compressible pads compressively and frictionally with the outside of the bag and clamp the bag on the closure container and retain the closure container in place in the bag.

8. In combination, a tumbler machine having a rotary horizontal shaft, a bag holder assembly mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, said holder assembly comprising a cylindrical bag holder having a stationary semicylindrical section and a hinged semi-cylindrical section hinged on said stationary section, means for releasably clamping said hinged section in closed relation to said stationary section, a bottom plate secured on said stationary section and extending under said hinged section, compressible pads lining said stationary and hinged sections, a flexible comminuted material containing bag in said holder and resting upon said bottom plate, said bag having an open upper end located above the holder, a relatively rigid cylindrical closure container having a sidewall, a closed upper end and an open lower end, said closure container being partially inserted in the upper end of the bag with its closed upper end spaced above the upper end of the bag and with its open lower end below said compressible pads, the space in the closure container between the upper end of the bag and the closed upper end of the container defining a material tumbling space, said clamping means serving to engage the compressible pads compressively and frictionally with the outside of the bag and clamp the bag on the closure container and retain the closure container in place of the bag, and brackets on and rising above said hinged sections having lateral arms overlying and engaging the closed upper end of the closure container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,141,207 Parent June 1, 1915 1,253,785 Chaparro Jan. 15, 1918 1,908,561 Schletz et al. May 9, 1933 2,022,527 Schletz Nov. 26, 1935 

